Is my Nose a Difficult Nose to Fix? (photo)

I feel as though I have a very wide and bulbous nose. I went to see a plastic surgeon here in my city. He told me that my nose was a difficult procedure. He really didn't explain to me what he would do to my nose. So I decided not to go with him since he seemed unsure. Would I need a higher bridge along with a alar reduction? or would an alar reduction be sufficient? Thanks

Rhinoplasty for wide and bulbous nose

August 16th, 2013

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

To reduce a wide nose, osteotomies are performed to narrow the nasal bones. Narrowing the nostrils is performed with alar-plasty procedure, which will narrow the base of the nose. To narrow the bulbous tip, cartilage removal or tip cartilage suture techniques are performed. Some patients require dorsal augmentation with the patient's own cartilage harvested from inside the nose, which can build up the bridge. A full set of pictures are required before making a determination on what may or may not need to be performed on this nose. Please see our rhinoplasty photo gallery below to see examples to what can be accomplished with the procedure

Is my nose difficult to fix?

August 16th, 2013

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

While the photos are not capable of showing everything we would need to see, I would be willing to bet that the reason the first surgeon told you that your nose would be difficult is because you are already very pretty and your nose is not unattractive. While there may some minor sculpting here and there that would give a slimmer profile and a different look, I would be very careful about changing this nose very much at all on such a pretty face. Many things go into becoming a top aesthetic rhinoplasty surgeon and the best way to find one is to talk ( actually talk) to other patients as well as your own doctor. I wish you all the best.

Rhinoplasty Pictures

Difficult Rhinoplasty?

August 16th, 2013

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

Hello Kayla! Great question. It is hard to tell exactly what you may benefit from without a profile view of your nose (side shot or 90 degree angle). The width of your bridge seems normal though you do have moderately wide nostrils (we call it the alar base). Addressing this is not difficult for the experienced rhinoplasty surgeon. I would suggest consulting with another facial plastic surgeon who does many rhinoplasty procedures each year. I'll be you will get better advice and hopefully will help you make a decision.

Not hard to fix!

August 16th, 2013

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

A side view would be extremely helpful. From your front view it appears that you have a wide alar base (wide nostrils), a straight bridge and a reasonably defined tip. Weir excisions, an alar cinch suture and some cartilage suturing techniques would better define your nose and balance it with your face. Best of luck!

Is my Nose a Difficult Nose to Fix?

August 15th, 2013

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

One cannot tell from these pictures about the dorsal height or need for a higher bridge. An alar base reduction can be performed. I am not sure there is anything particularly difficult about performing either of these maneuvers. Find a plastic surgeon with ELITE credentials who performs hundreds of rhinoplasties and rhinoplasty revisions each year. Then look at the plastic surgeon's website before and after photo galleries to get a sense of who can deliver the results.

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as
a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you
have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute
or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.